Snowden or Dust, Vancouver Island

• Ideal Bike: A hardtail mountain bike with front suspension and a dropper post is the best tool for the job, although a full-suspension or rigid mountain bike could also work great. This is not a route for gravel bikes.
• When to ride: The route can be ridden almost all year long, besides any winter days with heavy snowfall. We reccomend the summer months to enjoy the beautiful lakes and swimming along the way.
• Getting here: Campbell River is a three-hour drive from Victoria. It can be accessed via the Comox ferry if coming from the Sunshine Coast, and from the mainland using the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay ferry. See the Resources tab for the City of Campbell River parking map, which provides some options for overnight parking.
• Route Direction: The route is designed to be ridden as a clockwise loop, due to one-way mountain bike trails and better flow. A handlebar-mounted GPS device or cell phone is reccomended for navigation, as there are lots of small turns and trails that can get confusing.
• Land Acknowledgment: The Snowden or Dust route travels on the unceded traditional territory of the We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, Kwakiutl, K’ómoks, and Coast Salish Nations. Take some time to learn about and respect their people. Head over to the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations website to learn more.
• There are bears and cougars on this route. Make noise and carry bear spray to avoid startling any wildlife. Hang your food at night.
• The route follows mostly blue-rated mountain bike trails, and some decent bike handling skills are required to enjoy the ride. When wet, the roots and rocks along the route will become slick and make for an extra challenging ride.
• There is active logging in the area and on some of the roads on the loop. For this reason, riding the route on the weekend is preferred. Some of the haul roads are closed during the weeekdays if crews are working on them. Be prepared to make route adjustments on the fly.
• We strongly reccomend making a donation to the River City Cycling Club, who are the trail stewards for the Snowden Demonstration Forest trails. You can easily do so using Paypal on Trailforks.com.

• There are numerous BC Recreation Campsites along the route, the majority of which are cash-only and cost $15 per night. Not all options are listed on the route map, see them all at SitesandTrailsBC.ca.
• Wild camping on BC crown land is permitted in many locations on the west loop of the route, including the north shores of Campbell Lake. Make sure you leave the area how you found it, and remember to leave no trace.
• The Campbell Lake area can get busy on weekends with car campers and RVs, so don’t plan on getting the campsite you want if you’re riding the route in the summer. Be flexible and consider booking a site at Loveland Bay Provincial Park if you’d rather not be searching for campsites.
• Elk Falls Provincial Park is also nice, and very popular, and would be an easy spot to stay before or after the ride.

• There is no resupply on the route. Buy and carry the food you need for the entire trip in town.
• Although there are lots of places to filter freshwater on the west loop of the route and at camp, there isn’t much water in the singletrack and Snowden areas. Be prepared to carry 2-3L per person, depending on the time of year and how much water you drink.
• Pack a water filter, purification tablets, or camp stove to purify any water.
• There is a potable water pump by the beach at Loveland Bay Provincial Park.

Starting in the northwest corner of Campbell River, the route leaves paved roads behind within the first mile in exchange for the Water Tower Trail and a smooth climb up toward the Ridge Trail and Dean Martin. The trails get progressively more challenging the further you travel into the Snowden Demonstration Forest, which includes a section of Aligator Rock and Lower Deliverance and several others to connect to Lost Lake—a great spot for a quick snack. From there, the singletrack continues along the Riley Lake trail to Gun Barrel (the high point for day one), before a fantastic descent down to Brewster Lake Road and access to Loveland Bay Provincial Park.

Some may choose to camp at the park for a shorter first day or to extend the route into a two-night trip, but either way, it will be hard to leave the beautiful beach and the views of snowcapped mountains to the south. The next 32 kilometers follow rolling gravel roads that loop clockwise around back to Loveland Bay. The majority of campsites are along this stretch, including a number of BC Recreation Sites along Campbell Lake, on several other smaller lakes, and many that are just a short detour off the main route. Most provide freshwater access, pit toilets, picnic tables, and cost $15 per night (cash only!).

After leaving Loveland Bay for the second time, the route immediately links back up with a great singletrack climb up the Loveland Bay Connector, with access to 10 Licks, 11th Lick, Frog Legs, and Escargot. Compared to the first day, these trails are more rocky and rooty and generally slower going, but they also have some of the best views of the coast and Quadra Island, and follow some unique rocky sections with a few optional rolls for those looking for a challenge. From there, the trail follows the incredibly flowy and scenic Lost Frog trail to a short section of service road that links back up with the beginning of the route. The ride ends with a final descent on the Water Tower Trail that will have you grinning from ear to ear.

Additional Resources

• Recreation Sites and Trails BC
• River City Cycling Club
• Snowden Demonstration Forest – Trailforks
• City of Campbell River Parking Map
• BC Ferries
• BC Recreational Freshwater Fishing